Re-Imagined Radio: X Minus One Tribute

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Listen on KXRW FM and KXRY FM.

Re-Imagined Radio celebrates X Minus One, the anthology program known for high-quality radio adaptations of original science fiction stories. Two episodes are featured, "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury (1920 – 2012) and "The Cave of Night" by James E. Gunn (1923 – 2020).

“The Veldt”—First published in The Saturday Evening Post, Sept. 23, 1950 with the title "The World the Children Made." The story's title was changed to "The Veldt" in 1951 when it was collected in Bradbury's anthology “The Illustrated Man.” Ernest Kinoy adapted "The Veldt" as an episode of the radio program “Dimension X” in 1951. Kinoy's script was also used for the Aug. 4, 1955 episode of “X Minus One.”

Bradbury's story is set in a future home where the children program their playroom to provide a virtual reality of the African veldt complete with lions. As the children spend more and more time in the playroom, the parents become distressed, thinking the room is taking over their roles as parents. When they try to limit the children's access to the playroom, trouble begins.

“The Cave of Night”—First published in Galaxy Science Fiction, Feb. 1955, Gunn's story was adapted by Ernest Kinoy as an episode of X Minus One broadcast Feb. 1, 1956. A professor of English specializing in science fiction and fiction writing at University of Kansas, Gunn established the Center for the Study of Science Fiction which awards the annual John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best science fiction writing.

Gunn's story "The Cave of Night" concerns the pilot of a U.S. experimental rocket ship stranded in space, unable to return to Earth, traveling through the cave of night, waiting to be rescued.

Written in a time before human space travel, "The Cave of Night" anticipates the drama of Apollo 13, the tragedy of the Challenger and Columbia shuttle disasters, and even the Moon landing conspiracy theories, all while stressing the importance of commitment and resources as we seek to slip the bonds of gravity and venture into space.

Re-Imagined Radio is a research project led by John F. Barber that produces and shares sound-based storytelling as live performances, radio broadcasts, listening events, live stream and on-demand audio and beyond. All these outcomes are undertaken as literary-media art and performance for contemporary audiences. 

Location:
On the air
Contact for more information:
John Barber at jfbarber@wsu.edu

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